Surrounding Lies
by Dawn96
Summary: Ever wondered what brought Basta to the Capricorn's side when he was even younger than Meggie...?


**Surrounding Lies**

**This is my first Inkheart fic, so- pls be nice! Read, Enjoy and then REVIEW!**

Fire. The Scent of fire rose to his nostrils. A man stood staring at his surroundings with an air of carelessness as the sun beamed down on the forsaken place making his bull-horned helmet shine. He houses were now nothing but burnt match-sticks that stood swaying in the dead wind. Silence was the aura that crept around the hearts as well as death that suited a crypt. Bodies were found that held the most displeasing view, yet nothing escaped his eyes. He searched for any signs of life- but nothing of motion had come to meet him. Nothing at all. Smoke still seemed to come off the soot-filled ground that meant that the attack had just been done and whoever had fled negatively unnoticed. The gallops were coming closer, just like his patience was closing its doors amongst his 'soldiers'.

"How many alive?" His raspy voice broke the eerie silence.

"Sir, none alive but-" a soldier started.

"No buts! A final answer or off with your head!" he threatened- he was not in the mood to hear their soft-hearted excuses.

"A boy! A boy, he won't-"the soldier gasped.

"Take me to him," was the answer the soldier got as his eyes widened.

"Sir, just a boy, he's barely ten years-" the soldier started already predicting the fate of the young boy.

He was going to snap at the soldier who dared speak back at him but an ghostly, high-pitched, deafening scream broke though the scene, making a shiver creep up his spine. The informing soldier had slumped his shoulders as the boys scream echoed.

He took no hesitation as he threw himself off his horse and stomped towards the screeches. The soldiers quietly walked behind him soundlessly. Some trainees- they were softies, the lot of them and here Capricorn wanted them trained for ruthlessness… he on the other hand, saw no need for it- better to kill the whole lot of them.

The yells came closer and closer with every step he took and with every breathe he inhaled did they become more and more unnatural- as if the boy was warding off the White Ladies who could come or an animal of a sort. Then, he saw him. The boy's face was unseen since his face was buried on the body of a dead woman who was most probably his mother. His clothes were burned as well, and blood was covering his shirt as well as dirt. His hair was a crow's nest- a mass of brown hair all matted and messy. His screams were echoing the place as if a banshee on the loose.

He was sick of it. Sick of children crying so selfishly and foolishly.

"Get up, boy! Get up!" he dragged the wailing boy roughly by his arm.

The boy wouldn't budge.

"No! No! No!" the boy's words were throaty and rasp- as though a nail on a blackboard due to his crying," leave me! Let me go! No!"

"Get up, idiot boy!" he had no mercy on the tiny boy's pitiful face.

"No!No!" he kept his hold on the dead woman's clothes- not wanting to leave her. "No! Mother! Mother! No! No! No!"

His wails didn't get any better as well as his grip. Fed up, he yanked the boy of his dead mother by his hair and the boy fell painfully on the ground- his face was consorted by pain as he stared wide-eyed at the man who just threw him. He reached out for the dead corpse hastily but was kicked back once again by the man. He took out his sword and aimed it at the boy pitilessly.

"Ruthbull!" Capricorn's voice echoed mysteriously and his grip was suddenly on Ruthbull's arm. "We do not go harming children, now do we…?"

"Sir, I-"

"Nothing, just nothing…" Capricorn's silky voice answered.

He then stared at the boy who sat crouched on his mother's dead body as silent tears made their way down his cheeks. He clenched his hands into fists as he clutched the cloth on his mother's sooty dress.

"There, there," he lowered himself as he squatted next to the crying boy. "It's… alright."

He put a hand on the shaky shoulder of the boy but he just pulled away, clutching his mother fiercely as his sobs got raspier.

"Your mother…?" he asked, his voice still silky as though a word he said wasn't meant.

The boy's head jerked a bit and his sobs grew louder.

"I see… a strange thing, death… isn't it?" he stared at the boy with his colourless orbs. "It is said that they welcome it with open arms… a smile planted on the faces… eternal comfort while they sacrifice the fate of the others whom they leave behind to suffer in misery and pain. Yet, why we… what is it again… oh yes… 'miss' them is beyond me, since those they leave will surely join them, isn't that right?"

The boy went simply stationary and limp as he heard those words… they made him taste fear even more bitter. His grip on his mother's dead body loosened as he slumped his head on her stomach.

"Tell me boy," Capricorn got hold of the boy's arm and yanked him to face him. "Where is your father?"

The boy's face was covered in blood and dirt as his blue-eyes were clouded by tears. For a reason or so, the boy reminded him of a fox- a good sign.

"Gone."

"Where are your siblings?"

"Gone."

"Are there any people around here?"

"Gone."

"Then you've got nowhere to go… do you know what I do with useless people, boy?"

The boy stared at him blankly yet his eyes were shriveled with fear.

"I kill them," the boy flinched as his eyes widened with horror, "but, I won't do that with you, no… you seem to be very… strange… peculiar if that's the word… but in a good way… tell me, what would you do for power? For greatness? Come with me and I shall throw it upon you, make you worthy and strong beyond your dreams… A fire-raiser is what awaits you and I will lead you to that path…" Capricorn saw that the boy's eyes were not in for it, "power to avenge your poor mother."

Children. With those words the boy stared at him completely with deep concentration. Capricorn stood up and wiped the dirt off his cloaks and beckoned for the boy to stand.

"I am Capricorn, Lord of these men and all of the fire-raisers. What is your name?"

The boy looked at him for a long moment unmoving, with depressed eyes. He looked at his dead mother then hastily looked away with pain etched on his innocent face. Then, with determination that surprised Capricorn he looked at him in the eye and held out his hand.

"Basta."

**A/N: Hope that was good, pls review!**


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